GnuBee Personal Cloud 2

The GnuBee Personal Cloud 2 (GB-PC2) is a network-attached storage (NAS) device specifically engineered to run free, libre, open source software (FLOSS). The GB-PC2 has all the functionality of any commercial, proprietary NAS, but at a much lower cost and with the transparency, reliability, and accessibility advantages that come with using FLOSS.

Personal Cloud 1 vs 2

The GB-PC2 is the big sibling of the GB-PC1 in the sense that it accommodates 3.5” drives instead of 2.5” drives. The GB-PC2 design is based on the GB-PC1 design, but is modified to handle both the larger size and greater power requirements of the 3.5” drives. The chipset and capabilities are otherwise the same.

Why a NAS?

Whether you’re a developer or a digital artist, chances are you have a lot of essential data, from music tracks to application code. So you probably already know that data loss is a fact of modern life, and backing up your data is the surest way to prevent it. You could use an online service for backups, but doing so exposes you and your data to a wide range of privacy, security, legal, and financial risks beyond your control. For example:

What are the data limits and how much does more storage cost?

Who really owns the data? Does the online provider gain some license to use your data?

What kind of security is protecting your data? How can you audit that security?

What kind of changes will the online provider make to their terms of use?

What people (e.g., employees of the online provider) or organizations (e.g., governments) could also gain access to your data?

All these questions and more make a strong case for using not only a NAS, but a NAS over which you have complete control – a FLOSS NAS! Enter the GnuBee Personal Cloud 2.